Ramen Review Template

Here’s the general template for my ramen reviews.  Note that each bowl will get its own rating, so a shop may have multiple ratings.  It’s more comprehensive that way, and possibly justifies a visit to a shop for a particular bowl.

Ramen No. XXX: Shop Name | Name of Ramen
 
The Review: When possible, I will provide background information on the shop, the chef, the locale, and relevant information about the particular ramen style.  The body of the review will focus primarily of the three main elements of ramen: broth, noodles, and meat/chashu.  I’m interested in how these items taste on their own, but also in terms of how their flavors and textures interact with the other ingredients in the bowl as part of a comprehensive whole.  The things I look for in these three elements are:
  • Broth: What are the flavors in the broth?  How thick/rich is it (and should be, according to its style)?  Is it egregiously oily or salty, as if it’s trying to compensate for flavor?
  • Chashu: What cut of meat did the chef use?  How is it prepared?  Is it prepared with thought in care in terms of how it fits into this bowl, or is the shop making a purely business decision?
  • Noodles: What style and thickness of noodle has the chef chosen to use with this particular broth; is it a correct fit?   How are the noodles cooked, and is there sufficient snap to them?
I’m also interested in the other ingredients of the bowl itself, especially the ajitama egg as well the menma pickled bamboo shoots.  Toppings that are unusual (for good or bad) will be critiqued.
 
The wrap-up will include my overall assessment of the shop, things that I really liked/would like to suggest, and perhaps a few comparative notes with shops offering a similar style.  
 
Update: There will be times when I update my reviews when I revisit shops and get bowls I’ve had in the past.  This is largely because both my photographic skills, and my ramen knowledge and preferences have evolved over time.  Depending on how much my assessment has changed, I may re-write the review entirely, or I’ll just include an add-on paragraph.
 
Tier: See the Tiers Guide or explanation.  Tier 5 is strongly not recommended, Tier 1 is highly recommended.
Q Factor: The amount of time it takes from when you arrive to get a seat.  (Q= queue, get it?) This is a major consideration in Japan, where most ramen shops have only 7-10 seats and lines outside of shops can be 30 minutes or more.  Q factor usually isn’t a major consideration in US ramen shops, though I will occasionally throw it in there if a shop makes me wait more than 15 minutes for a bowl.  
Sense: Ramen shops are often a vector of the chef/owner’s personality.  In the 5-7 minutes you’re waiting for your food, you might look around and notice some cool/weird things about the shop, the staff, and their patrons.  Since taking interior shots of ramen shops is frowned upon, we’ll have to rely on my word to convey the atmosphere.  
Price: Item (Price).  Includes add-ons and their prices.  Tax and Tip for US shops.
 
Address (in Japanese and English)
Google Maps insert
 
Tags: Each review will come with numerous tags in order to better search for particular shops of specific qualities, styles, or locales.  They will broadly fall into these categories:
  • Tier: Tiers 1-5.  See the Tiers Guide for information
  • Style: The kind of ramen in this bowl.  Shoyu?  Tonkotsu-Gyokai? Aburasoba?  Expect very few straight-up tonkotsu or spicy miso bowls; they’re popular in the US, but not so much in Japan.
  • Locale: Location tags that make finding the closest ramen near you easier.  For Tokyo, there will also be tags for individual wards of the 23 Special Wards that comprise central Tokyo.
  • Special Notes: This includes tabs for “Best of the Best (BotB)” that include my favorites; tags for places that have received Michelin stars or recognition in its Bib Gourmand Cheap Eats list; places that are particularly notable (+) for their noodles, broth, chashu, etc.
Work in progress, but this should be the general set-up for now.